This was such a bright spot for everyone involved!
Craig Kautz is the Hastings Public School Superintendent. Seemingly out of nowhere he's decided to have all of the teachers sign a pledge saying they will teach "love and devotion" to America.
According to Superintendent Kautz:
Hastings Public Schools Superintendent Craig Kautz said this year is the first time he's asked teachers to sign the pledge and that he's following legal advice in doing so.
“So, for the first time in my working career we basically asked our staff to do that — our teaching staff — the minimum required by statute,” said Kautz, who has been an educator in Nebraska for decades.
Nothing says "leadership" like passing the buck onto lawyers.
“Our job is to comply with the law to the best of our ability,” he said, “But to say that we are forcing employees to take a McCarthy-era loyalty oath is just not accurate.”
Oh, but it is
exactly forcing employees to take a McCarthy-era loyalty oath. It's not "like" it, it's not " kinda" something. It's 100% exactly what you just said it was not. So, Superintendent Craig Kautz, here's a multiple-choice, common-core style test for you:
Craig Kautz is a:
a) Coward for kowtowing to "mystery" lawyers.
b) A facist
c) A liar
d) Some of the above
e) All of the above
I don't know Craig Kautz. Maybe he's a swell guy and he's being put upon by the community and the state. The fact of the matter is that Nebraska has a storied history of intolerance and more specifically strange recent school decisions to turn back the clock of progress.
Here's part of the pledge:
I acknowledge it to be my duty to inculcate in the hearts and minds of all pupils in my care, so far as it is in my power to do, (1) an understanding of the United States Constitution and of the Constitution of Nebraska, (2) a knowledge of the history of the nation and of the sacrifices that have been made in order that it might achieve its present greatness, (3) a love and devotion to the policies and institutions that have made America the finest country in the world in which to live, and (4) opposition to all organizations and activities that would destroy our present form of government.
[I emphasized the fourth point since it strikes me that the people who push for these kinds of things are the most likely to do away with our present government.]
An ACLU attorney has sent a letter to Superintendent Kautz. They point out that the law was passed in 1951 when people were insane. They give a couple of examples of how the Supreme Court and other judges have said things like this are insane. Some highlights:
I understand that it may be confusing for local school districts who see the state statute still in the law books—but you need to know that the statute is a dead letter law which has been clearly overruled by the highest court in the land. Attempting to enforce the state statute is unconstitutional and will expose the school district to liability to a civil rights lawsuit.
The ACLU gives the district 7 days with which to inform all employees that this pledge is no longer required. For his part, Kautz continues to
say things like this:
“While we’ve asked our employees to sign this, because we believe that’s our statutory obligation, there’s no penalty here,” he said. “They’re not even at risk of getting a dirty look from their superintendent.”
He said he thinks his district is caught between advocates and opponents of the pledge law.
“Unfortunately, the Hastings Public Schools has been caught between really two groups of people who have a fight with each other that I wish they would get on with and get resolved,” he said. “We’re doing what we always do, which is complying with our understanding of the law.”
The oath and then the ACLU's letter is below the fold.
All persons engaged in teaching in the public schools of the State of Nebraska and all other employees paid from public school funds, shall sign the following pledge:
I, ………., do believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; an indissoluble nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
I acknowledge it to be my duty to inculcate in the hearts and minds of all pupils in my care, so far as it is in my power to do, (1) an understanding of the United States Constitution and of the Constitution of Nebraska, (2) a knowledge of the history of the nation and of the sacrifices that have been made in order that it might achieve its present greatness, (3) a love and devotion to the policies and institutions that have made America the finest country in the world in which to live, and (4) opposition to all organizations and activities that would destroy our present form of government.